The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 of German Patent Application No. 299 01 458.4, filed on Jan. 28, 1999, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a table tennis table which includes a frame, a pivot linkage, two table halves that are secured to the frame by means of the pivot linkage to be pivotable between a substantially vertical storage position and a substantially horizontal play position, and a releasable safety device.
2. Discussion of Background Information
Such table tennis tables are equipped with pivotable table halves to occupy as little storage space as possible. The frame can be guided on wheels so that the table tennis table can be displaced easily. The two table halves can be pivoted between a play position and a storage position at an angle of about 90xc2x0. In the play position the two table halves form a horizontal even play surface which is divided in the middle by the net into two play halves. It is also possible to pivot only one table half into the play position so that a person can play with himself or herself against the second table half which is still in the storage position (playback operation).
In the case of such table tennis tables, there is the risk (above all in the case of an inexperienced operators, in particular by children) that in the play mode the table halves will collapse or will be collapsed unintentionally, which presents a serious risk of injury. In particular, there may be bruises or similar injuries caused by the tables moving towards each other.
Although various safety devices have been suggested for table tennis tables, these are primarily meant to prevent the table halves from pivoting from the storage position into the play position. Such safety means, however, do not offer an adequate protection against an unintended collapsing of the table halves from the play position into the storage position.
Therefore, the present invention provides a table tennis table which includes a safety device which is capable of preventing an unintended or undesired pivotable movement of the table halves.
In detail, the present invention relates to a table tennis table that includes a frame, a pivot linkage, two table halves and a releasable safety device. The two table halves are secured to the frame by a pivot linkage to be pivotable between a substantially vertical storage position and a substantially horizontal play position. The safety device is provided for each table half with two safety levers each assuming an open position for changing the position of the table half. Further, at least one at least one of the safety levers of each table half includes a locking device for holding the lever in its open position.
The safety device is designed such that it is also locked in the play mode. Hence, the table tennis table includes a total of at least two safety levers for each table half, i.e., at least four safety levers on the whole. The two safety levers of each table half are operative independently of each other and secure the table half put into the play position also individually. This means that the table half is already secured by one safety lever in the locking position. Thus the second safety lever has an additional safety function. Therefore, both of the existing safety levers must respectively be moved from the locking position into the open position for unlocking the safety device.
Since at least one safety lever includes a locking device for holding purposes in its open position, it is possible to actuate the lever at one side so that it is kept in the open position. Subsequently, the second lever must additionally be unlocked to move the table half, for instance, from the play position into the storage position. Since the locking device is provided on the first safety lever, it is possible to arrange the second safety lever at an adequate distance from the first safety lever. This means that the second safety lever can be arranged such that it cannot be operated by a person at the same time as the first safety lever. Nevertheless, thanks to the locking device provided on the first safety lever, the position of the table tennis table can be changed by only one person because the safety lever provided with the locking device remains in the open position after having been operated. To pivot the table half, the safety lever with the locking device lever must simply be unlocked in the first place and the person can then go to the second safety lever and unlock the same. The table half can thus not be pivoted when only one safety lever is unlocked. Hence, an unintended or undesired change in the position of the table halves can be prevented in an effective manner. Children, in particular, are also protected thereby because the function of the two safety levers which are in operative communication with each other and provided in each table half will remain unknown to them.
To reset the safety lever upon a change in position of the table half from the open position into a locking position, the table tennis table according to the invention includes a resetting device. The resetting device can e.g. be mounted on the bottom side of the table half so that upon each adjustment of the table side the safety levers are again moved into the locking position and the table half is thus secured again.
Preferably the safety lever is biased in the blocking or locking position so that the locking position is the basic position of the safety lever. It is thereby ensured that the safety lever without the locking device automatically assumes the locking position and the safety lever with the locking device resumes the locking position after release of the locking device. Preferably, the safety lever is biased by a spring element. Such a spring element may e.g. be a disk spring or a spiral spring.
To provide the two safety levers of a table half with an adequate distance from each other, the two safety levers for each table half are secured at opposite sides to the frame of the table tennis table. Hence, for releasing the safety device of one table half it is first the safety lever with the locking device that must be operated at one side of the table tennis table, the safety lever remaining in its open position because of the locking adjustment, and the table must then be walked round to reach the other side and to operate the second safety lever so that an adjustment of the table half is made possible. Hence, the two safety levers are spaced apart from each other to such an extent that they cannot be operated by one person at the same time.
Preferably, the safety levers for the one table half are each arranged in the vicinity of the safety levers of the other table half. This permits a compact construction of the safety means for the table tennis table.
Preferably, the neighboring safety levers of the two table halves are interconnected via a spring element. Thus one spring element is enough for biasing two safety levers each securing another table half. To produce a permanent bias, a safety lever without a locking device, i.e. a freely movable safety lever, is arranged in the vicinity of a safety lever equipped with a locking device.
Preferably, the locking device is designed as an elastic tongue. The locking device can thus be constructed on the safety lever in a simple manner and at low costs. To lock the safety lever in place, the tongue is guided over an edge so that the edge is positioned between the tongue and the safety lever. For unlocking purposes the elastic tongue is moved away from the edge some distance and is pressed towards the safety lever so that the gap existing between the elastic tongue and the safety lever is minimized and the tongue can be guided past the edge without getting hooked.
To permit an easy handling of the safety levers, the levers include a prolonged extension. For operating the safety lever the extension is just moved into the corresponding direction, whereby the safety lever changes its position. Preferably, the extended shoulder can also be guided through a slot provided in a cover, so that the safety lever is protected by the cover against damage and dirt.
To prevent a simultaneous operation of the safety levers of a table half, the safety levers are preferably only operable one after the other. To make the safety device as small as possible in size, the safety lever is biased against a guide rod of the pivot linkage. The guide rod is provided for guiding a slide shoe which in the play position is disposed at the upper end of the guide rod. In the storage position, the slide shoe is positioned at the lower end of the guide rod. While the table half is collapsed or unfolded, the slide shoe is guided on the guide rod from the one position into the respectively other position.
The present invention is directed to a table tennis table that includes a frame, a pivot linkage, and two table halves pivotably secured to the frame by the pivot linkage. Each of the table halves are pivotable between a substantially vertical storage position and a substantially horizontal play position. Releasable safety devices are provided for each of the table halves, and the releasable safety devices include two safety levers positionable into an open position to enable pivoting of a respective table half. At least one of the two safety levers for each of the table halves includes a locking device for holding the at least one safety lever in the open position.
According to a feature of the present invention, a resetting device can be arranged to reset the at least one safety lever from the open position to a locking position after the pivoting of the respective table half.
In accordance with another feature of the instant invention, the at least one safety lever for each of the table halves may be biased into a blocking position. Further, the at least one safety lever for each of the table halves can be biased by a spring.
According to still another feature of the invention, the two safety levers for each of the table halves may be secured to opposite sides of the frame.
The two safety levers for one of the table halves can each be arranged in a vicinity of the two safety levers for the other of the table halves. Further, the safety levers arranged in the vicinity of each other can be connected via a spring element. Still further, the safety levers of the one of the table halves can be coupled to the safety levers of the other of the table halves via a spring element. At least one of the two safety levers does not include a locking device, and the safety lever without a locking device can be arranged in the vicinity of the at least one safety lever with a locking device. The safety lever without the locking device and the safety lever with the locking device are arranged on different table halves.
According to a further feature of the instant invention, the locking device may include an elastic tongue on the safety lever.
In accordance with still another feature of the present invention, the safety levers may include an elongated extension to facilitate moving the safety levers into the open position.
In accordance with a still further feature of the invention, the safety levers are only operable in successive order.
Moreover, at least one slide shoe can be coupled to each. of the table halves, and a guide rod can be positioned to guide each of the slide shoes. The safety lever may be biased against one of the guide rods to prevent a respective slide shoe from sliding along the one guide rod.
The present invention is directed to a safety lever with a locking device for a table tennis table. The safety lever includes a base body, a support surface located at an upper end of the base body, an extension projecting laterally from the upper end of the base body, a circular portion coupled to the base body, such that the circular portion is adapted as a pivoting axis for the base body. A blind hole is formed in the base body below the circular portion, and a tongue extends from a lower end of the base body so as to form a slot between the tongue and the lower end of the base body.
The invention is directed to a releasable safety device for a table tennis table which is divided into pivotable two halves. The releasable safety device includes a first and second safety lever. The first safety lever includes a first base body, a first support surface located at an upper end of the first base body, a first extension projecting laterally from the upper end of the first base body, and a first circular portion coupled to the first base body, so that the first circular portion is adapted as a pivoting axis for the first base body. A first blind hole is formed in the first base body below the first circular portion, and a tongue extends from a lower end of the first base body so as to form a slot between the tongue and the lower end of the first base body. The second safety lever includes a second base body, a second support surface located at an upper end of the second base body, a second extension projecting laterally from the upper end of the second base body, and a second circular portion coupled to the first base body, such that the second circular portion is adapted as a pivoting axis for the second base body. A second blind hole is formed in the second base body below the second circular portion.
In accordance with a feature of the present invention, the first and the second circular portions can be collinearly arranged to pivot around a same pivot axis, and the first and the second safety levers can be positionable on a same half of the table tennis table.
According to another feature of the invention, the pivot axes for first and second circular portions can be parallel to each other, and the first and the second safety levers may be positionable on different halves of the table tennis table. Further, the first and the second blind holes can be coupled to each other via a spring element.
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the second safety lever does not include a tongue that extends from a lower end of the base body so as to form a slot between the tongue and the lower end of the base body.
Other exemplary embodiments and advantages of the present invention may be ascertained by reviewing the present disclosure and the accompanying drawing.